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Friday, October 31, 2008
The History of Halloween
Based on the documentary by the History Channel about Halloween, what are some of the "facts" that you learn about Halloween that are most interesting to you?
One of the facts that I found interesting about Halloween is that it has changed so much over the years and how it used to be about religion. Also, what is interesting is that Halloween is the second most expensive holiday coming after Christmas.
Probably the people doing pagan rituals in the woods. They seemed so awkward. They must feel so awkward as well since they know what other people are doing.
after watching this documentary, i found out that halloween originated in Ireland thousands of years ago and is still a popular tradition today. I also learned that people sometimes put razor blades and poison in the candy, and ironically, by their own family members.
Halloween started in Ireland and made its way across the world and reached the U.S where it's celebrated by everyone. It used to be just a somewhat mischief night but then it slowly became just a kids/adults holiday. Kids actually died from the candy and from razor blades found in the apples which I thought was all just myths. It also used to consist of more than one day back in early Catholic roman times where it would take place on november 1st, 2nd, and possibly 3rd.
I learned that Halloween originated back in Ireland 3,000 years ago. Everything that Halloween was back when it first started relates to what is it today.
One thing I learned from the movie is that Halloween is actually not from Mexico which I didn't know. Also why it started. I thought that was interesting. And that it came out long before Chirst. Halloween is the second most exspensive holiday right after Christmas, people in America spend billions of dollars.
Some interesting things I learned about Halloween is that it has such a violent past, around the 50s and 60s. I can't believe that such terrible things, from poisoning kids through candy to arson took place. I also can't believe how old the holiday is -- It somehow has stayed strong for over 3,000 years!
I learned that Halloween is the 2nd most money spent holiday after Christmas. I also learned that Halloween originated in Ireland and that is was taken much more as a threat then it is today. Back in the day people feared spirits and today people fear people.
Irish Celts were the creators of halloween. They believed that during a certain time in november the boundary between the living and dead became so thin, that the dead could actually walk the earth. To appease these souls, the god's were offered sugary sweets, and blood sacrifices. This eventually lead to the act of handing out candy and "trick-or-treating." The Celts believed that this time was also good for telling the future, because if one could not tell what would happen with the souls that were wandering the earth, these souls were liable to never leave. When the Roman's and Celts found each other colliding during the Roman quest to subjugate the world, festive Christian partying and the Celtic celebration of the dead collided as well. In essence, this is what shaped and formed the Halloween that we as American's know best. Many still refuse to celebrate Halloween, because they see it as a Paegan holiday, although after seeing this movie, it has become evident to me this is not the case.
From watching this movie I learned that Halloween was started in Ireland and it is also the second most expensive holiday. Another thing I learned was apple bobbing came from Europe. The Catholic roman times would have Halloween on November 1,2 and 3. Bats came in to the holiday because years ago they would have bon fires and the bugs would be attracted to the fire, and then the bats would go eat the bugs around the fire.
during this documentary i found out it's very interesting that the celtics used to offer horse's and cow's on huge bonfires to keep the evil force's away and that the ritual's are still done today even though they go back 3,000 years ago.Cats were like witches spirit's though in animal form. During halloween in minnesota their was 3 death;s and a lot of broken window's.Thier were razor blades and poisoned apples and candy which were handed out by loved 1's.
I learned that Halloween dates back to 3,000 years ago. Many of the Celtic beliefs relate to what Halloween is today. Halloween comes from the words "All Hallows Evening". I didn't know that Americans spend the most money on Halloween, second only to Christmas. Halloween has been a time for innocent, but sometimes deadly, mischief by youngsters. Something interesting that I found out was that razor blades and poison were found in candy and apples but commonly, the problem originated from family's candy.
goes back to Ireland 3000 years ago. Early days, they left candy and sweets outside to give to the spirits (evil or good) which now is like trick or treating. They also had sacrifices. Belief in spirits/supernatural creatures - how people would dress up as faeries and other creatures. Pagan vs. Christian All Hallow 's Day (hallow = saint) and All Hallow 's Eve (now known as Halloween). Witchcraft (worst part of paganism. comes from wicca. "tapped into the darkest aspects of halloween.) tracked them down, horrible consequences. cat = witches spirit in animal form. American traditions differed than Ireland. lots of halloween pranks(breaking windows, putting things on roofs etc) embraced halloween - all over country. 2nd world war stopped feelings. many halloween activities were canceled. After war - everything came back. razor blades/poison in candy was a big deal for kids. (some caused by families). americans spend 2.5 billion dollars on halloween - 2nd after christmas!!
-The Kelts would leave offering to the dead so they would leave them alone and over time it was turned into Trick or Treating. -The rock piles are where the fairies live. And the kids who run around and trick or treat represent the fairies who can run around and do tricks just as the fairies would -Halloween comes from a priest who dedicated that day to All Saints day which turned into All Hallows Day then to All Hallows Evening then took een and turned that into Halloween -A Halloween in Brooklyn became deadly when three people were killed -Kids were receiving apples and candy with poison and razor blades in them. But most of the kids were killed by their family, not strangers
One thing i found interesting was that some people still hold the ancient celtic beliefs and even preform their rituals, like having a bonfire. Many of our halloween traditions today come from the pagan holiday, like dressing up, telling ghost stories and even trick or treating. When Christianity took over paganism, Catholic's all saints and all souls days blended with the pagan holiday. Originally, America didn't want to celebrate it but, starting with Virginia, it started to spread. Gradually children took over the holiday, and many pranks occurred. Now its for children and adults. Some other things i found interesting were that turnips were originally what people carved, children killed by poisoned candy have mostly been poisoned by people they know, and that Halloween is the second most commercial holiday (after CHristmas, of course.)
For me, I got interested in the fact that Halloween actually was not originated by Christians. It was originated in Ireland, 3000 years ago, centuries before even Christ was born. Celts in Ireland followed their rituals 'Shawin" which was later change and modified into the famous, "Halloween." The place where the ancient pagans lived is now in ruins but the rituals they followed still live although a little modified. Pagans would offer ghost food and in return ghosts would stay away from their area.. This later became "tricks or treats" Priest told stories that they hear from ghost spirits and tell them to local people. This is how Scary stories are told these days in Halloween. America spends 2.5 billion dollars in Halloween, these day. I found these facts really interesting.
16 comments:
One of the facts that I found interesting about Halloween is that it has changed so much over the years and how it used to be about religion. Also, what is interesting is that Halloween is the second most expensive holiday coming after Christmas.
Probably the people doing pagan rituals in the woods. They seemed so awkward. They must feel so awkward as well since they know what other people are doing.
after watching this documentary, i found out that halloween originated in Ireland thousands of years ago and is still a popular tradition today. I also learned that people sometimes put razor blades and poison in the candy, and ironically, by their own family members.
Halloween started in Ireland and made its way across the world and reached the U.S where it's celebrated by everyone. It used to be just a somewhat mischief night but then it slowly became just a kids/adults holiday. Kids actually died from the candy and from razor blades found in the apples which I thought was all just myths. It also used to consist of more than one day back in early Catholic roman times where it would take place on november 1st, 2nd, and possibly 3rd.
I learned that Halloween originated back in Ireland 3,000 years ago. Everything that Halloween was back when it first started relates to what is it today.
Eddie
One thing I learned from the movie is that Halloween is actually not from Mexico which I didn't know. Also why it started. I thought that was interesting. And that it came out long before Chirst. Halloween is the second most exspensive holiday right after Christmas, people in America spend billions of dollars.
Some interesting things I learned about Halloween is that it has such a violent past, around the 50s and 60s. I can't believe that such terrible things, from poisoning kids through candy to arson took place.
I also can't believe how old the holiday is -- It somehow has stayed strong for over 3,000 years!
I learned that Halloween is the 2nd most money spent holiday after Christmas. I also learned that Halloween originated in Ireland and that is was taken much more as a threat then it is today. Back in the day people feared spirits and today people fear people.
Irish Celts were the creators of halloween. They believed that during a certain time in november the boundary between the living and dead became so thin, that the dead could actually walk the earth. To appease these souls, the god's were offered sugary sweets, and blood sacrifices. This eventually lead to the act of handing out candy and "trick-or-treating." The Celts believed that this time was also good for telling the future, because if one could not tell what would happen with the souls that were wandering the earth, these souls were liable to never leave. When the Roman's and Celts found each other colliding during the Roman quest to subjugate the world, festive Christian partying and the Celtic celebration of the dead collided as well. In essence, this is what shaped and formed the Halloween that we as American's know best. Many still refuse to celebrate Halloween, because they see it as a Paegan holiday, although after seeing this movie, it has become evident to me this is not the case.
From watching this movie I learned that Halloween was started in Ireland and it is also the second most expensive holiday. Another thing I learned was apple bobbing came from Europe. The Catholic roman times would have Halloween on November 1,2 and 3. Bats came in to the holiday because years ago they would have bon fires and the bugs would be attracted to the fire, and then the bats would go eat the bugs around the fire.
during this documentary i found out it's very interesting that the celtics used to offer horse's and cow's on huge bonfires to keep the evil force's away and that the ritual's are still done today even though they go back 3,000 years ago.Cats were like witches spirit's though in animal form. During halloween in minnesota their was 3 death;s and a lot of broken window's.Thier were razor blades and poisoned apples and candy which were handed out by loved 1's.
I learned that Halloween dates back to 3,000 years ago. Many of the Celtic beliefs relate to what Halloween is today. Halloween comes from the words "All Hallows Evening". I didn't know that Americans spend the most money on Halloween, second only to Christmas. Halloween has been a time for innocent, but sometimes deadly, mischief by youngsters. Something interesting that I found out was that razor blades and poison were found in candy and apples but commonly, the problem originated from family's candy.
goes back to Ireland 3000 years ago. Early days, they left candy and sweets outside to give to the spirits (evil or good) which now is like trick or treating. They also had sacrifices. Belief in spirits/supernatural creatures - how people would dress up as faeries and other creatures.
Pagan vs. Christian
All Hallow 's Day (hallow = saint) and All Hallow 's Eve (now known as Halloween). Witchcraft (worst part of paganism. comes from wicca. "tapped into the darkest aspects of halloween.) tracked them down, horrible consequences. cat = witches spirit in animal form.
American traditions differed than Ireland.
lots of halloween pranks(breaking windows, putting things on roofs etc)
embraced halloween - all over country. 2nd world war stopped feelings. many halloween activities were canceled. After war - everything came back.
razor blades/poison in candy was a big deal for kids. (some caused by families).
americans spend 2.5 billion dollars on halloween - 2nd after christmas!!
-The Kelts would leave offering to the dead so they would leave them alone and over time it was turned into Trick or Treating.
-The rock piles are where the fairies live. And the kids who run around and trick or treat represent the fairies who can run around and do tricks just as the fairies would
-Halloween comes from a priest who dedicated that day to All Saints day which turned into All Hallows Day then to All Hallows Evening then took een and turned that into Halloween
-A Halloween in Brooklyn became deadly when three people were killed
-Kids were receiving apples and candy with poison and razor blades in them. But most of the kids were killed by their family, not strangers
One thing i found interesting was that some people still hold the ancient celtic beliefs and even preform their rituals, like having a bonfire. Many of our halloween traditions today come from the pagan holiday, like dressing up, telling ghost stories and even trick or treating. When Christianity took over paganism, Catholic's all saints and all souls days blended with the pagan holiday. Originally, America didn't want to celebrate it but, starting with Virginia, it started to spread. Gradually children took over the holiday, and many pranks occurred. Now its for children and adults.
Some other things i found interesting were that turnips were originally what people carved, children killed by poisoned candy have mostly been poisoned by people they know, and that Halloween is the second most commercial holiday (after CHristmas, of course.)
For me, I got interested in the fact that Halloween actually was not originated by Christians. It was originated in Ireland, 3000 years ago, centuries before even Christ was born. Celts in Ireland followed their rituals 'Shawin" which was later change and modified into the famous, "Halloween." The place where the ancient pagans lived is now in ruins but the rituals they followed still live although a little modified.
Pagans would offer ghost food and in return ghosts would stay away from their area.. This later became "tricks or treats" Priest told stories that they hear from ghost spirits and tell them to local people. This is how Scary stories are told these days in Halloween.
America spends 2.5 billion dollars in Halloween, these day. I found these facts really interesting.
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